Belleque earns top honors at Ramsey County Spelling Bee

Bethany Belleque, sixth grade student at Central Middle School, was named the top speller at the Ramsey County Spelling Bee held Thursday, February 28 at the Memorial Building in Devils Lake.

Bethany Belleque, sixth grade student at Central Middle School, was named the top speller at the Ramsey County Spelling Bee held Thursday, February 28 at the Memorial Building in Devils Lake. Second place went to Stephanie Johnson, an eighth grader at CMS. Both Belleque and Johnson will advance to the 2013 State Spelling Bee, which will be held March 22th in Bismarck.

Sydney Jacobs a sixth grader at CMS earned 3rd place making her the alternate if one of the other two are unable to attend.In Grade 5, first place went to Colby Rance, second place Jalen DaCoteau, both from CMS and third place Jadyn Harpestad from Starkweather.

In the fourth grade division, it was Jayden Hoover earning top honors from Starkweather. He was followed by Jacob Vaagen of St. Joseph with second place and Kaitlyn Skadsem of Sweetwater for third place. Third grader, Caleb Schneider of Prairie View earned top honors in his grade division. He was followed by Rebekah DePreist from Prairie View and Jacob Shomento and Emma Hoover both from Starkweather for a three way tie for second place. . Third place went to Allyson Jo Hermanson from Starkeweather.

During the State Bee, Belleque and Johnson or Jacobs will compete with more than 100 county winners from across the state. All of the contestants will compete in a written round of 50 words, from which the finalists are chosen. The finalists will compete in a “spell down” with first, second, and third place being awarded. The students crowned top spellers in the state will head to the National Spelling Bee. The National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington, DC, on May 29-June 2, 2011.

The state spelling bee is sponsored by the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders, the North Dakota Association of County Superintendents and the North Dakota News Paper Association.

The Devils Lake Journal serves as one of the co-sponsors for the Ramsey County Spelling Bee and provides the plaques and ribbons for the winners.